Ohio State nav bar

Main navigation

Kaplan named senior vice president for development

The Ohio State University has named long-time Ohio State leader Jeff Kaplan as its new chief fundraiser, filling a void left by the unexpected death of Senior Vice President of University Development Andrew A. Sorensen earlier this month.

“Jeff is among my most capable, creative, and trusted colleagues, and I am deeply grateful to him for agreeing to lead Ohio State’s development and advancement work,” said President E. Gordon Gee. “In assuming this new role, I know that he will continue to build upon the efforts begun by Andy Sorensen without any loss of momentum. Jeff is exactly the right person for the position at this time.”

Kaplan has served in several leadership roles at Ohio State, most recently as senior vice president for administration and planning. In that capacity, he oversaw a team of some 3,500 people in the departments of facilities operations and development, public safety, trademark and licensing, and business advancement, among others. He also oversaw the first comprehensive master planning for the university.

In his new role as senior vice president of University Development, Kaplan will lead Ohio State’s fundraising efforts, including the upcoming major university-wide fundraising campaign. He also will serve as president of The Ohio State University Foundation and special assistant to the president for advancement, which involves the alignment of the university’s communications, alumni and development functions. Kaplan will continue to serve as special assistant to the president in a variety of other areas, including medicine and athletics.

Kaplan, who earned his bachelor’s degree at Yale and his law degree from Ohio State, has strong leadership and administrative experience in both higher education and health care. He began his career at Ohio State in the 1970s working in athletics, admissions and business administration. He returned to Ohio State in 2007, serving as vice president for business development and collaborative advancement at Ohio State’s academic Medical Center and as interim vice president for University Development.

Prior to returning Ohio State, Kaplan served for seven years as associate vice chancellor and chief administrative officer at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He also held various senior posts at Saint Thomas Health Services and Baptist Hospital in Nashville; Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital Foundation, Columbus; and US Health Corporation and Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus. He also was director of admissions and assistant to the president at the University of Vermont.